Strawberry Halloween
by Yemi Hikari
Summary: Yachiru just wants to have fun on Halloween, while the tenth division captain wants to be left out of it... however, due to his helping her with her costume, he ends up being drug in.
1. I am Ichigo

_Disclaimer – I don't own Bleach. I also don't own what the characters are costuming as. I'll add disclaimers at the bottom when each costume is revealed, even if gets to be long._

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Strawberry Halloween  
~*0*~  
I am Ichigo

The air was crisp in both Karakura Town and Soul Society. It really wasn't due to leaves, but the nice chill air, as summer had turned to fall. Unlike most places in Japan, Karakura Town had taken up celebrating Halloween every year.

Of course, one person in Soul Soceity had celebrated the holiday every year, as she liked the idea of candy and sweets, not to mention dressing up in costume. The sad part was, almost no one else went along with it, though a few did give her candy.

Every year she had gone as a cat, with her little cat paws, tail and ears that had been given to her by someone. But this year she wanted to go as something different. Going as the same thing every year could get to be boring.

So, why not go as someone you admired, someone you looked up too? The idea of going as a hero or heroine appealed to her mindset, and so she set about planning her little costume escapade.

Abarai Renji found her staring into the koi pond at Ukitake Taicho's place when he went to deliver a message from his own taicho, that he wished to invite his sister to have lunch with him.

"You aren't dressed up in your Halloween costume yet, Leutenant Kusajishi," the man asked.

"I decided to go as something else this year," she stated, still watching the fish jump out of the pond.

"So… what do you want to go as?" Renji smirked, having always had a soft spot for the little girl.

"I'm going to go as Ichigo!" she turned to him smiling, not to mention giggling like she did when she was really happy.

Renji's jaw dropped, and he began to scratch his head. "Why go as Ichigo?"

"Because Ichigo is cool! Ichigo has good looks! Ichigo kicks bad guy but! Ichigo has a great fashion sence! Ichigo won!"

"Ehh…" Renji suddenly was imagining a mini Ichigo with pink hair. Of the lieutenant making a scowl like a certain substitute soul reaper did. He then thought about that certain persons reaction if they saw this, and he burst out laughing. "You know what, I'll help you!"

"You would?" Yachiru suddenly became excited.

"And I can't wait until Ichigo see's you!" Renji stated.

"Excuse me?" the pink haired girl's expression darkened.

"You know… we'll go to Karakura Town so he can see you!" Renji smirked.

"I don't think you can help me." She gave him a look that meant he wasn't very bright, and disappeared.

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**Author's Note – **_Well, I was talking to Chillis and our conversation led to this idea and she helped me brainstorm it some more. There might be slight hints at certain pairings, but no actual romance. Toshiro will appear in later chapters, and Karin and Yuzu will also appear. Can you guys guess what costumes people will be? (And yes, I figured out a way to get him into costume… a rather sneaky way. And some have changed since I talked to Chillis.)_

_**Clue One: **__Yachiru stated what her costume was and was not in this chapter._

_**Happy Halloween!**_


	2. Somebody Else?

**Strawberry Halloween  
~**_**Somebody Else?~**_

When someone doesn't get what one was thinking and you thought they understood, the feeling is disappointment. And when one was Yachiru's equivalent age, one also might feel anger towards said person. In fact, she was in a very sour mood.

When the lieutenant of the eleventh division was in what was considered her usual mood, the division members' discluding Ikakku tended to flock towards her, as it was known she could make even the strongest shingami smile.

It was also known though, that when she was in a bad mood, she could make a good deal of these same men cower. So , when she came back to her division, her sour face quickly cleared them out of her way as she drug her sword behind her, not having her usual quirky step.

As she came to her room, Yumichika poked his head out. "Since you weren't wearing your Halloween costume yet, I figured you might have misplaced it. While the room was a mess of toys, it was right in plain sight… something the matter?"

"Pineapple head is a meanie," the girl stated.

Ikakku stuck his head out of his room, having heard his best friend speak up, not to mention having the lieutenant's room right next to his. "Let me guess, you wanted some candy, and he didn't give you any?"

"No…" Yachiru folded her arms across her chest.

"You want to put your kitty costume on?" Yumichika asked, smiling at the small girl and holding out the box that the paws, tail and ears were held in.

"No… this year I'm going as Ichigo," the girl suddenly blurted out, her smile growing bigger.

Both men looked at her in surprise. Ikakku's eyebrow and mouth twitched. "Isn't Kenpachi your hero?"

"Well, yeah, but he focuses on fighting," the girl continued to keep her arms folded.

"But your hair would be so koi with bells in it!" Yumichika cooed, much to his friend's displeasure.

"More like scary," Ikakku muttered, only to find his shin kicked.

"No thank you… baldy," came the angry reply, not to mention, the spit in the face.

"Oi…" the man muttered, his own aura growing dark.

"At least she doesn't want to be you for Halloween. She would go and shave her own hair, making Unohana Taicho mad at both of us," Yumichika smirked.

"Us… why us…" Ikakku's facial expressions were twitching again. "Though seeing her with bald patches… owe!"

"Serves you right!" one pink haired girl stuck out her tongue at him.

"I know," Ikakku smiled and stated sarcastically, "Why don't you go as him and paste some feathers on your face?"

"Mmm… our hairstyles are too similar. Where is the fun in that?" Yumichika shook his head in disagreement.

"Then what about Matsumoto?" Ikakku blurted out.

"I'm flat chested… and with that, she went into her room, closing the door behind her.

_Author's note – Well, I did have a WHOLE bunch of these chapters written up the weekend BEFORE Halloween this year. However, *cough*, I somehow managed to lose my note book right under my nose. And it HAD five more chapters ready to type up and go. Lame, I know. I've decided to keep this fanfic with short chapters. It fits the mood I want with it._

_**CLUE TWO: **__Toshiro will be dressing up as a character from an Anime or Manga that he looks a lot alike, but not the one the one reviewer mentioned._


	3. That Age

**Strawberry Halloween  
~**_**That Age~**_

Later, when the president showed up at the Shingami Women's Society, everyone there was surprised at the fact that she was without her usual costume this year. Nanao stared at her, pushing up on her eyeglasses. "You're not being in costume… does this mean the topic of making Halloween official won't come up as part of the agenda this year?"

"Actually, that is the main agenda of this meeting," the girl smiled.

"Why is it then, that you're not wearing a costume?" Kiyone asked.

"Because I don't have it yet, came the bright smile, not to mention giggle.

"But I liked your cat ears," Matsumoto moped, and Momo nodded her head.

"I'm going as something else, I'm going to be Ichigo!" the girl continued smiling.

"You're going to dress as a boy?" Nanao suddenly turned pale.

"What do you mean, dress like a boy? You're not making any sense, just like Pineapple head," came the protest.

"She's at that stage where she doesn't realize the difference between boys and girls. I wonder if she'll ever reach that stage, as Captain Hitsugaya has yet to do so," Nemu commented.

"Excuse me… but where did that come from?" Matsumoto glared at the other woman.

"Mayuri-sama has never received a positive reaction like he does with captain Kyoraku when it comes to the games he creates," Nemu stated.

"No… it just means they aren't perverts," Nanao sighed.

"And taicho's at that stage…" Matsumoto muttered glancing at the table in irritation for some reason.

"I think…" Soifon commented. "She's at that stage where she doesn't realize dressing as the opposite sex is taboo."

"What… I wanted to cross-dress with Gin," Matsumoto stated, causing quite a few females to turn pale. "What?"

"I think it would, for one thing, be impossible for you to cross-dress," Nanao narrowed her eyes at her friend.

"And the other point?" Matsumoto pouted.

"A female Ichimaru Gin…" Isane's head hit the table and she let out a moan.

"But girls can dress in guys clothing, only the other way around is taboo," Rukia piped up.

"Tell that to Yumichika. I believe he likes to wear woman's blouses," Nanao piped up.

"I don't think woman's blouses count… skirts have to be involved, and it can't be a culture that has the third gender," Nemu imputed.

"How did we get on this conversation?" Momo suddenly asked, a tad bit uncomfortable with where it had gone.

"What does dressing like a boy have to do with me dressing up as Ichigo?" Yachiru piped up, causing the woman to stare at the tiny girl. "I'm going to go talk to Snowball-chan. He's not a dumby."

"Did she just say we're stupid?" Isane stared after her.

"I believe that was the connotation," Nemu imputed.

_**CLUE THREE: **__To be a shingami, or not to be a shingami, that is the question. This clue leads both to the costume and who the costume is for._


	4. Snowball Effect

**Strawberry Halloween  
~**_**Snowball Effect~**_

Out of all the people who had a biased opinion about Halloween, Hitsugaya Toshiro was possibly the biggest proponent in the fight against Yachiru turning it into an official holiday for Soul Society. To him, it was completely childish.

That, and it would give his lieutenant a new excuse to go out and drink, not to mention, she would try to get him into a costume too. And he could… no, he didn't want to imagine the trouble that Kira, Renji and Hisagi would get into.

He did though have his lieutenant have a few bags of goodies left out in the office for when Yachiru and the few other _young _shingami came around. He had made it a habit to leave the office early, before they were likely to come, as Rikichi had asked once why he didn't join in.

As he was working on his paperwork, a very familiar and hyperactive voice spoke up. "Hello Snowball-chan!"

"Ya… lieutenant Kusajishi?" the boy taicho blinked a couple of times. "You're not in costume yet…"

"I decided this year not to go as the same thing," she stated over and jumping at his desk so she could hang off. A few papers went flying.

"Shouldn't you be in a club meeting," he asked, getting up to gather his papers, then sitting back down.

"Ehh… they were a bunch of dummies. Whenever I've told _anyone _who I want to go as, they say stupid things," Yachiru frowned.

"So… what is the costume this year?" he asked.

"Ichigo, of course,"

"Everyone is probably thinking you're going as Kurosaki instead of a made up female character," Toshiro sighed, plashing his calligraphy brush away.

"But why?"

"His first name is Ichigo,"

"No, why did they thing that?"

"Because even I don't know who this character you like so much is. I just figure you've been watching Anime again with Rin over in the twelfth division," the boy sighed. "Why come to me?"

"I want to help with my costume. You were smart and figured it out," she smiled.

"Well… not quite…" Toshiro had a funny look on his face.

"Even though you haven't seen her, you could watch the cartoon with me, right?"

"No. I don't watch that kind of stuff. Hell, I don't watch television, or movies, unless I'm dragged into it," Toshiro glared at her.

"Well, then, you can still help me make my costume, can't you?" came the smile.

"Doesn't making costumes involve sewing?" Toshiro narrowed his teal eyes.

"So?" This time came a giggle.

"Yachiru-chan," the small taicho's voice became dangerously filled with ire. "Exactly what do you think me level… of sewing… is?"

"Aniki is good at everything!" Yachiru suddenly flung her arms into the air, causing her to fall of the desk and onto the floor, where he couldn't see her.

"The most I can do sewing wise is patch up my uniform in an emergency…," he muttered, standing up to try to see her over the desk.

"But Peaches says your actually better than her at drawing," came her voice from his side of the desk, and a drawer opening. "You can't go digging through people's things like that!"

"But I liked the pictures… the one of Big Boobie and Foxie, of Peachy and Sour Pickle, Gramps sleeping, Doggy Face with puppies and kittens…" Yachiru suddenly found his face next to hers, dangerously close, as he kept her from opening the drawer.

"You can't tell anyone!" he hissed.

"But… they're nice…" Yachiru frowned.

"If I help you, but not in the way you want me too, will you please not tell anyone?"

"Yachiru frowned at this, then nodded her head. "Sure."

Suddenly, a camera flashed, causing them to turn towards the door, wide eyed, only to have another flash come. "How cute taicho! You actually caught her in that drawer!"

"Matsumoto!"

_**CLUE FOUR: **__Uryu is a mysterious English tea._


	5. Orihime's Plan

**Strawberry Halloween  
~**_**Orihime's Plan~**_

Quite a few people remained after school to attend a meeting that Orihime had planned. While she had only asked Ichigo, Uryu and Chad to stay, along with Tatsuki, Keigo had invited himself, and thus Mizuiro had decided to stay.

"So, what exactly is the big news, Inoue-san?" Uryu asked, rather irritated that somehow he had ended up next to the substitute soul reaper at the meeting.

"I want to hold a Halloween Party!" Orihime chirped. "Oops… I had planned on waiting until Rukia got back…"

"Ahh… she wasn't in class today," Mizuiro sat on his desk.

"So, you're having a rad bash so that all the popular kids come," Keigo got up and began to swing his hips and pump his fists in and out.

"Disturbing…" Chad muttered.

"Well… I guess the kids at school could come…" Orihime sounded disappointed. "But I really wanted to invite them.

"Ah…" Keigo got all teary eyes. "Of course you can… whoever they are!"

"Isn't it a bit creepy… inviting dead people to a Halloween Party?" Tatsuki sighed, her eyes having a rather shocked look.

"I think it's cool," the bosomed girl chirped.

"You… don't have a big enough apartment," Ichigo muttered.

"Well… there's always your place," Tatsuki smirked. "That or Urahara's."

"Great…" Ichigo muttered.

"Hello everybody!" Everyone looked up to see Rukia waving from the window.

"How'd she do that!" Keigo blinked, then guffawed.

"You'll never likely get it, Asano-san," his small friend muttered.

"Stop it already with the last names," the taller boy cried.

"Hey, Rukia, I'm planning a Halloween party. Well, we'll be holding it at Ichigo's or…" Orihime though found herself interrupted by Rukia bursting into laughter. "What's so funny?"

"You remind me… Yachiru-chan… plans on… going as… Ichigo this… year," the shingami girl wouldn't stop shaking.

"Are you sure she said that…" Kurosaki popped his shoulder suddenly.

"Positive!"

"I'm wondering though, about that. I don't think either of my sister's would do that," Ichigo muttered.

"Who complained last school year about Yuzu hemming down his middle school uniform?" Tatsuki narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah…" big guy muttered.

Everyone in the Shingami Woman's Society was talking about it!" Rukia stated.

"Woman's lib movement?" Tatsuki smirked.

"Yeah, and most of our things the captains have no problem with. Except Yachiru fukutaicho's attempt to get Halloween to be an actual holiday in Soul Society."

"Let me guess, Toshiro's one of the ones against it?" Ichigo folded his hands behind his head.

"How did you know?" Rukia gave him a surprised look.

"Because that kid doesn't know how to act like one…" Tatsuki groaned.

"I guess I can expect Toshiro-kun not to be in costume, or even be there," Orihime frowned.

"Blackmail or trickery is the only way likely to work," Rukia sighed.

_**CLUE FIVE: **__Karin and Yuzu's costume is a pair, demon and angel to be exact, from some Anime or another._


End file.
